


Butterflies

by Jiggle_Physics



Series: Half-Breeds of the Rift [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Chance Meetings, Crossover, Cullen's daughter is sassy, Dragonborn is a good mother, F/M, Fear makes her angry, Fluff, Lavellan is a fretting mother, Trees are the devil, dragon age and skyrim, soulmate meetings, tempermental but good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 19:48:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16939572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jiggle_Physics/pseuds/Jiggle_Physics
Summary: "Just jump down, I'll catch you.""You're crazy."





	Butterflies

**Author's Note:**

> The first meeting between Julian and Rowen. Son of Gisla (the Dragonborn) and Bishop (a surly hunter) meets the Daughter of Siona Lavellan (retired Inqusitor) and Cullen Rutherford (retired comander of the Inqusition forces)

Rowen undoubtedly hated butterflies, especially the blue ones with black tips. Demon concoctions the lot of them. She screamed out for help for the fifth time and thought on how she also hate trees. Too tall, and far too confusing. Why did she have to follow the bug with its shimmering wings and why in Tamriel did she climb a tree to catch it? The woes and nightmares of a five-year-old, stuck in a tree because she wanted to butterfly. 

“Sathan! Help! Anyone, please!?” (Help!)

Julian groaned rubbing his temples, that was the sixth time head heard the incomprehensible screeching. Settling for not getting any real practice for his bow in because of the distraction he sat it down with a scornful look to the woods. An hour, the seven-year-old promised himself an hour a day to practice so he could finally beat his dad. Bishop had found it amusing and Gisla endearing. It must have been a good idea because the next day he found a target set up for him outside, his parents must have done it overnight. The yell came again and he growled before setting off to find the source of his irritation and silence it. He had to practice! 

In all honesty, he wasn’t sure what he expected to find, but a girl stuck in a tree with frustrated tears in her eyes was not it. She was too small or the baggy shirt and pants too big as she let out a furious yell and hit the tree only stopping when the branch gave an unsteady wobble.

“Keep doing that and you’re gonna fall.” The limb stood still and she peeked out from over it, wheat-hued curls nearly swallowed up the girl leaning over to look at Julian.

Her grip on the limb tightened and her eyes narrowed, they were the lightest shade of green he’d ever seen, even more than the trader from Falkreath. She looked mildly furious at the boy as she dangled ten feet up from her perch. 

He looked a little older than she with copper tone hair that was close to his eyes. His eyes were a subtle shade of amber framed by freckles across his straight nose, his cheeks were rounded almost chubby. Baby fat, her mother would call it. Rowen had some too, so he was young. She had been hoping for someone a bit older that could actually help.

“Aye, I can see that! Are ya gonna get me down?” Julian crossed his arms and stood taller something he’d seen his father do with his mother. 

Of course, his mother always cocked her hip out and raised an eyebrow as his father slouch a little give an “Alright ladyship.” before going and doing what she asked. But the girl was too far up to do that and didn’t seem like she’d be intimidating if she did. She shifted as he watched her fingers dig into the bark while the branch moved with her. 

“How did you even get up there?”

She looked sheepish and hid somewhat in her hair, “I don’ have to tell you.”

“Fine, get down on your own.” He turned on heel and heard her groan.

“I followed a butterfly! Now help me down.” She blurted out in an attempt to make him stay. 

“Jump down.” 

The expression on her face fell flat and she raised an eyebrow, “You’re crazy.”

Julian turned to look at her ‘ are all girls this stupid ‘ he idly wondered walking back to his place, “Just jump, I’ll catch you.”

“Like the void, ya will! You’ll just lemme fall!” The branch gave a jostle with her venomous words.

“Look I promise, I won’t let you fall, now jump.” He watched the girl shakily stand on the unstable limb and take a breath, “One.” he braced himself, “two” he tilted back into place, “three” how hard could it be to catch someone so small?

It was her fault, even though it was his idea, it was her fault. She was light, however; the elbow to his nose, turning it bloody wasn’t part of the design. She had shrieked on the falling, it had hindered his aim that was exactly what had happened. She was to blame for the weak tone, and no one could convince Julian differently. 

“Mythal, it worked!” The girl leaped up, the motion was hard and kicked the breath out of him. 

She didn’t pay attention until she heard the hiss of agony behind her.

She let out a small gasp and rushed to his side while he sat up disoriented and glared at the shape of her, “ I‘m sorry, I can fix it. S’just a bleeding nose is all.” 

The girl grinned as she sat next to him, her fingers brushed against the swelling and he flinched but she began to hum a tune she’d heard in town. The green glow was pleasantly warm under her touch. It was strange to feel the stitching of bones and skin, yet no discomfort. Healing magic. He had only known potions to heal someone. Soon his swelling reduced and the throbbing she had caused vanished.

Obviously pleased with her work when she’d finished, “Ma serannas for getting me out of the tree.”

“Huh?” He tilted his head, the motion had reminded Rowen of her mabari hound, "It means thank you."

Julian had heard many languages pass through the Rift, but this one stood bizarre in his mind. 

“I’m Rowen.”

“Julian.” he offered a hand as she hesitated to take it, she seemed confused but smiled nonetheless. 

Her canines were sharp like his mother’s, not fangs but longer more defined than a Nord's own teeth. Maybe a werewolf like his mother too? Maybe another pack coming through and taking in the sights. That’d be a dream, maybe he could convince her to stay a while and play! Maybe they could be friends without him being looked down upon for being a ‘half-breed’. The smile on her face fell as she seemed to leap behind his sitting form. 

The woman had stomped down the worn path looking as if she could set fire to the world with her face in a fierce scowl and eyes narrowed into a hot rage. He had seen this before while she traveled closer, her arms were crossed upon approaching the two. His mother. In all her fire hair, fierce ire glory came to tower above them. She looked all the bigger and more terrifying with the sun at her back including a scowl that Julian swore could make grown men quiver. 

“Julian Bjarnsen just what were you thinking! Leaving the yard without telling your father or I. All we found was your bow! Do you understand how worried I was?! I thought something had happened to you, I swear to Oblivion when we get home you’re going to re-” Gisla stopped after having spotted the flash of wheat gold curls peeking out from behind her son. 

“But Mama she was stuck in the tree!” Julian hoped the explanation would be reason enough to avoid her wrath, “She couldn’t get down and had to jump so I could catch her.”

“That so?” The girl poked her head out from behind the seven-year-old and watched the beforehand mortifying woman crouch to her height, “Did you get stuck little one?”

Rowen nodded, “I dinna mean to, I was trying to catch the butterfly.”, her voice was petite and it had jarred him.

Where was the loud-mouthed girl that had stood up to him earlier?

Gisla looked from her son to the child and sighed, “Where are your parents?”, the Dragonborn watched the girl’s orbs widen to the size of dinner plates while they filled with panic.

That’s what she thought, the girl had run off, her parents had to be in a fit, “Did they go into town?’

Gisla didn’t seem all that terrifying anymore as she spoke gently to the lost child while Julian let out a breath of relief. If his mother was preoccupied with Rowen then he had dodged the proverbial arrow. Julian watched her nod and move beside him instead of hiding. Rowen nodded as they promised to find her parents while traveling to town.

“Now miss…"

“Rowen”

“Miss Rowen, what do your parents look like?”

She shifted from foot to foot,” Ma mae has long hair…” Gisla sighed many people in Rifton had long hair, “And valla- tattoos on her face and one arm.” Gisla raised an eyebrow, that she could work with, “And ears like mind but longer!” (My mama) 

She watched as the girl pulled her curls back with some difficulty and revealed the oddest elf ears Gisla had ever seen. In fact, the girl was the most peculiar looking elf she had ever seen and appeared more human than any wood elf or high elf. Julian slumped at the realization, she wouldn't stay in the Rift long enough to become friends. It hadn't taken long to spot Rowen's mother. She was speaking hastily to Bjornwulf. Her hair had been shaved to one side and was white as snow, the tattoos under her eyes were in a branch design and her elven ears tilted downwards. 

When pointed out the girl bolted to the woman that spun around. She was very short, Gisla noticed and very slender. Her face also appeared more human than other elves. The woman gripped her daughter close before she pulled away for what Gisla could only guess was the scolding of a lifetime in a language as foreign as the both of them. She watched the elf's ears perk upwards reminding her of a cat. Pedicure indeed.

Rowen babbled back in the language Julian had heard before the mother pulled her close again. With unseen strength, or perhaps the child was light, her mother lifted her up into the straight curtain of snow white hair. Her daughter pointed to Gisla and Julian after saying something in her mother's ear.

“Ma serannas, falon.” Gisla was confused before Julian spoke. (Thank you, friend)

“It means thank you.” He beamed when the she-elf grinned and Rowen smiled proudly.

“Rowen tells me ye saved her.” Julian let out an embarrassed chuckle while he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“It was nothing, honest.”

“It was everything to her.”Gisla tousled his hair with a smile, “We’re happy to help.”

“Siona! Siona she isn’t-” the man that had rushed up was taller than Bishop by at least half a head.

He wore simple pants, boots, and shirt but the long sword strapped to his side had been well forged and kept. Gisla could see where the girl got her wild curls from, he seemed to have his hair slicked carefully back but the waves were still there, and the golden color too. He was a broad man that carried an air of order around him. A soldier if not more, retired from the looks of it. He paid no mind to anyone else as he scooped Rowen away from her mother's clutch. 

“Andraste’s mercy, Rowen Rutherford I swear if you ever get out of my sight again I will -”

“Cullen, she’s alright.” The woman- Siona- put a hand on his arm while their child sniffled, “Thanks to these two.”

He looked at both with a grateful nod, “More thanks to Julian here for getting her out of a tree.” Siona explained. 

Gisla stood prideful of her son, it was the first time her son was truly having praise regardless of his blood. These two must have been far off continent not to hear about the Dragonborn’s half-breed son. 

“Well at least she’ll know some of the woods after all, once the house is built maybe you can catch butterflies a little more safely, ma arulin sa.” (my precious one) 

“House?” Julian questioned the woman with a type of hope glinting in his eyes.

“There's a plot of land on the Rift that is for sale, we’re going to be building a house before winter arrives.”, Cullen explained after pressing another kiss to the top of his child's head. 

“How close are you to another house, we live on the Rift too! Could we play together while you make the house, how long will it ta-” Julian began to blurt out questions enthusiastically.

“Jules, slow down.” Gisla chuckled happily for the boy and their soon to be neighbors. 

"It's alright the boy kens about it. Perhaps you an' Rowen could keep each other company." Siona looked to her daughter that was nodding. 

The three adults had taken to eating lunch while they watched their children excitedly speak to each other in hushed whispers. Conspiring about something, the parents had no doubt. It was the start of a strong friendship between the families.


End file.
